A recent poll reveals the average computer user has four different email addresses. This is just one indication that users have too many sources of incoming communications to competently maintain. In addition, conventional systems place the burden of electronic communications squarely on the shoulders of the user. Users also are presented with many different types of communications devices. Many users are simply overwhelmed by the numbers and choices of functions of these devices and software such that many of the functions provided go unused, and to make matters worse, communications and conversation topics often jump between a variety of mediums including voice mails, text messages, faxes, and conversations. In addition, consumers using online organizers and websites are continually bombarded with advertisements, very few of which, if any, are directed to items of interest. The approaches currently used for providing these advertisements are only slightly better than using a “shotgun” approach, hoping that one user out of millions actually notices the advertisement. In fact, most users find these ads intrusive and bothersome and some go to great lengths to block them. Therefore, an improved communications system is needed to aid and organize communications between users.
This same situation also applies to personal organization. Most people have a large amount of information associated with each of these various types of communication. In particular, a user may have several address books spread across various software applications/services (e.g., Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo) and devices, such as their cell-phone or personal data assistant (PDA) of which varies entries at any time are not up-to-date and/or incorrect. The user also may have various types of contact information associated with different groups of individuals, such as work, family, and friends that are stored in many different locations. Maintaining all of these contacts is impractical and time-consuming and in many cases simply does not happen. Therefore, an improved organizational system is needed to simplify, aid, and organize this information.
In addition, Internet social networking websites are actually much like dating websites. A user creates an account, uploads personal pictures and a description hoping to attract other people with similar interests much in the way a person tries to attract dates on a dating website. A problem with such web sites is the flood of unwanted solicitations among the few genuinely interest parties seeking new friends. Any images that are shared on these websites are soon downloaded and otherwise copied from the website at which point the poster loses any control over the distribution of the images. The images may end up posted in undesired places or “photo-shopped” with unwanted modifications. As a result, many users are disappointed by their experiences while others avoid the whole situation due to the potential negative consequences of sharing information and dealing with volumes of junk messages and unwanted propositions. Therefore, an improved social networking technologies, processes, and system are needed to overcome these and other difficulties experience during social networking.